South Sudan has banned all flights ahead of Pope Francis’ visit on Friday, with the civil aviation authority ordering airlines to cancel or postpone their flights until normal timetabling resumes on Monday.
Since becoming Pope in 2013, the 86-year-old pontiff has made several trips to Africa, but this is his first trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan.
On Saturday in Juba, the Pope will lead a prayer vigil alongside Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Rev Iain Greenshields, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland.
South Sudan’s government has also declared Friday a public holiday so that people can gather in large numbers to greet the Pope and the other two religious leaders.
